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Samsung Galaxy S5 LTE-A heading to the UK via EE

A cut-down version of Samsung’s revamped Galaxy S5 LTE Advanced is heading to the UK, courtesy of EE, bringing 300Mbps download speeds with it.

An upgraded LTE-A version of Samsung’s Galaxy S5 flagship phone is coming soon to British stores, featuring a Cat 6 LTE antenna that can tap into the top speeds possible on EE’s 4G network.

However, unlike the sexed-up Galaxy S5 LTE Advanced that turned heads in South Korea last year, the UK version won’t feature a higher resolution Quad HD screen – it’ll be the same 1080p Full HD resolution of the current model.

Twin Galaxies: The UK Galaxy S5 LTE-A will feature a faster radio, but will be otherwise identical to the old S5

In fact, with the exception of the Cat 6 LTE radio, the specifications of the UK Galaxy S5 LTE Advanced will be exactly the same as the current Galaxy S5 (which uses a Cat 4 antenna).

So, what the hell is Cat 6? Well, right now EE is trialling LTE-Advanced technology that will significantly boost the average speeds on its 4G network.

The top download speed possible on EE’s network right now is 150Mbps, although with Cat 6, EE has demonstrated that speeds of up to 300Mbps are possible. EE planned to start rolling out LTE-Advanced across London this year, but tests of the new technology are still ongoing.

Due to the way mobile services work, it’s highly unlikely that any single customer will ever get 300Mbps downstream on a phone with a Cat 6 aerial. However, rolling out LTE-Advanced across EE’s network should see the average speed enjoyed by everyone on EE’s 4G network climb up, even those without Cat 6 phones. Check out our feature on EE’s Cat 6 evolution for more details.

Instead of selling or marketing the Samsung Galaxy S5 LTE Advanced as a new or separate model, EE tells us that once the current Galaxy S5 stock has been exhausted, it’ll start filling warehouse shelves with the newer, Cat 6-equipped S5s.

An arrival date for the new Galaxy S5 stock hasn’t been announced, but we understand that prices for the Samsung Galaxy S5 on EE won’t change.

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